


Wishful Thinking

by ArteaCactus



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Deceit | Janus Sanders, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit | Janus Sanders, title doesnt really make any sense but i was blanking pretty hard so
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:14:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27345643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArteaCactus/pseuds/ArteaCactus
Summary: A confrontation with Roman gone wrong, Janus falls back into Remus' arms and admits his fears and regrets, and Remus is happy to whisper reassurances to his snake.
Relationships: Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders/Deceit | Janus Sanders
Comments: 9
Kudos: 111





	Wishful Thinking

**Author's Note:**

> this was a request done for an anon on tumblr! the prompts were "you look like hell" and "I'll always be there for you"  
> un-beta'd!! if you'd like to request anything yourself, head over to my tumblr, hissceit!

“You look like hell,” Was the first thing that fell out of Remus’ mouth the second he saw Janus step through the door separating the Lights from the Darks. As soon as he said it he wished he could take it back- Janus flinched and averted his gaze, his form tense and uncomfortable.

Remus wasn’t usually one to feel down on himself and his personality, but in times like these, he wished he didn’t have to blurt out everything he thought of without straining to hold himself back. 

Before he could apologize, though, Janus seemed to gather himself and inclined his head in agreement, “That’s fair.”

Remus sat up and scooted to the side (he’d been laying sprawled out on the couch, waiting for Janus to return from his venture to the Lights), patting the seat next to him in invitation. When Janus hesitated, he mimed dusting off the cushion, silently assuring Janus that it was clean (he knew well enough that it wasn’t why Janus hesitated, but he tried to lighten up the mood).

Janus reluctantly crept forward and sat on the couch next to Remus, and was promptly pulled up on Creativity’s lap; said Side chortled in amusement at the uncharacteristically surprised noise Janus made in response. 

“Come on, tell daddy what’s wrong,” Remus crooned, stroking Janus’ hair, and he could practically _feel_ the revulsion radiating off Janus in waves. He wasn’t surprised when Janus took off his hat and used it to cover up Remus’ face. 

“Don’t _ever_ say anything like that again,” Janus hissed, pulling his hat away before Remus could eat it. Again. 

Remus cackled, but though Janus was disgusted by his choice of words, he could feel the way the tension slithered from his body at his attempts to lighten him up and felt proud of his ability to soften the pain with his blunt, somewhat _crude_ sense of humor (the others would probably argue that it was more than _somewhat_ ). 

“Seriously, though, Jan,” Remus plucked the hat from Janus’ hands and set it aside, pulling him closer to his chest, “What’s up?”

Janus didn’t stiffen up again- no, he actually slumped into Remus’ chest, his head tucked under his chin. A sigh fell from his lips, a melancholy ring to it; a rare tone to cling to his snake’s velvety voice, but certainly not a pleasant one, and he hugged Janus a little tighter as he spoke, soft and borderline _sad_. 

“I tried to talk to Roman again, as you know,” He murmured, and Remus nodded in understanding. Janus had been spending every day since his name reveal trying to apologize to Roman, but his brother was being a real _dick_ and refused to listen. Remus wanted to go up there and bash him over the head and tie him to a chair with a gag stuffed in his mouth so he would actually _listen_ for once, but, well. Janus told him no. 

Roman best be _damn_ glad that Janus had Remus wrapped around his finger so tightly.

Remus pulled himself out of his thoughts, trying his best to listen to what Janus was saying- focusing was hard for him, but this was _important_.

“.. Instead of listening to me, though, he just- well. He said some _things_.”

“ _Things_?” Well, Remus was listening in rapt attention now. “Like, I should go up and beat him with a stick sort of things?”

Janus snorted, shaking his head minutely, “Just- Just _stuff_. About Virgil.” His voice had fallen into a whisper, and his breath hitched, but he was clearly trying to pull up as many walls as possible, trying to shut down his feelings.

And Remus- well, Remus was _pissed_.

Virgil leaving was a sore subject for _all_ of them, not just Janus, but it had always hit Janus the hardest of anyone (obviously, no one really _knew_ , aside from Janus, Remus, and Roman).

After all, Janus had acted as Virgil’s parental figure for nearly all of his life. Virgil had been their little emo, the one who had started hissing at random things because Janus did it and he wanted to be more like him, the one who had helped Janus make meals for the others, the one who had come to him for anything and everything because they loved each other. 

And then Virgil caught wind of the Lights. 

At first, they thought nothing of it. Janus let him go, toy around with them a bit- it was good fun, and he had no problem in letting Virgil _have fun_.

But then Virgil started.. _obsessing_. Everything became about the Lights. Suddenly Janus’ cookies were compared to Patton’s. Janus started getting told he was like Logan when he read about philosophy. Janus’ acting and the musicals he watched suddenly were just like Roman’s. 

Janus put up with it for a while, but over time, Virgil became _condescending_ \- telling Janus about how much better _Patton_ baked than him, how much smarter _Logan_ was, how much better at acting _Roman_ was.

It had all been stewing for a long while, until Janus had burst and had yelled in a fit of anger, ‘ _Run off to the_ Lights _, then, if they’re_ so _much better!_ ’

And he had.

Janus had been torn up about it for _months_. For weeks, not a day passed that he didn’t cry and openly grieve over the loss of his son, the one he had raised himself, the one he loved, to a group of goody-two-shoes Sides that thought they were superior because the facets they represented had _good_ names.

And Remus- well, Remus didn’t have _as_ big a hand in raising Virgil, but he had been at Janus’ side through it all the same. He had run off to Roman, in a fit of rage and despair, and hadn’t let up until Roman agreed to spar, and they fought day in and day out so Remus could let off steam. Remus had ranted to him about what Virgil had done in the midst of the fights, but truly, he didn’t think Roman ever paid _attention_ to his rants to think much of it. And if he did, surely, as the _good_ guy, he wouldn’t have used it _against_ anyone.

Shows what good _trusting_ people did.

“Janus, Virgil leaving was _not_ your fault,” Remus was positively _trembling_ in anger and was _itching_ to let it out, but he forced it back, tied it up, and stored it away. He could beat the shit out of something _later_. First, he had to take care of his snake. “Roman’s just a _bitch_. You were the _best_ father in the whole world, you did _everything_ for him and more. You held him when he cried, took care of him when he was sick, taught him important skills, and showed him _nothing_ but love and care. You did _no_ wrong, he left because he was _selfish_ and wanted to be held up on a pedestal and babied by _Thomas_.” Remus curled his lip, but Janus’ cold fingers curling around Remus’ wrist stopped him from rambling. 

“I.. I _know_ ,” Janus breathed, “I just... I wish I hadn’t said what I’d said.”

“ _Believe me_ when I say I know that feeling _incredibly_ well,” Remus buried his face into Janus’ hair, the smell of coffee and earth filling his nose, “But you know even _that_ was entirely called for, right? Virgil was being unfair to you. You are _not_ in the wrong for being _upset_ at being _belittled_.”

Janus hummed, his eyes slipping shut as he leaned further against his darling, and he sighed. “I fear that everybody will leave me, just like _he_ did,” He admitted weakly, “That one day I won’t be good enough, that someone else will be better and I’ll be _alone_.”

“Well, don’t, because even if the _others_ leave, _I_ won’t.” He promised solemnly, “You’ll _never_ be alone because _I’ll_ always be there for you. You’re the _best_ thing that’s ever happened to me, and no one will _ever_ be better than you. You’re _beyond_ good enough- you’re _perfect_.” 

Remus may have loose lips and a tendency to blurt out stuff with little control, but he didn’t say anything when he felt Janus tremble and shake as he wept silently in his arms. 

Instead, he continued to hold him, quietly murmuring reassurances and affection to his snake.

But _oh_ , would Roman be in for a _visit_ later.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading, i hope you enjoyed!! kudos and comments are appreciated and encouraged, they're my biggest motivators :)


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